The Bureau, page 27
“The chief does have an eye for potential.” Kurt thought about Des buried deep in HQ, his nose stuck in books. The image was a good one, and it worked.
“You wouldn’t be bothered, working with me?”
“Polar opposite of bothered.”
Kurt smiled to himself, thinking how well Des and Terry would get along, and how Kurt would sprint past both of them on the track—not quite catching Edge—and how nice it would be to take a break from endless report-writing to eat lunch with Des. There was a little café at HQ with good coffee and a view of a garden, and although Kurt hardly ever went there, Des might like it. On their days off they could go to the beach or maybe take a weekend in the mountains. Maryann was going to be fascinated with Des, and Jason—well, who knew with teenagers? It’d work out.
Even as Kurt glowed with happiness, Des sighed beside him. “I’ll never make up for what I did, no matter how much research I do.”
“I told you it doesn’t work like that.”
Des rolled onto his back and clasped Kurt’s hand, lacing their fingers. Sun crept between the window blinds, striping them in light and shadow. “How does it work then?”
Kurt remembered the conversation he and Townsend had before the mission began. “Redemption isn’t a finish line, a one-and-done. It’s a process. A journey, sometimes a fucking hard one. But the key is to keep on going.”
There was a long pause. “But one needn’t do it alone.”
“No. I’m not sure anyone can do it alone.”
“How does this fit in with your ship metaphor?” Des’s smile was evident in his words. And God, the bed was so warm and cozy and perfect with him in it.
“I guess there’s no reason the journey can’t be by sea.”
Des squeezed Kurt’s hand tightly. “All right, then.”
So they weighed anchor and hoisted the mizzen, and off they went.
About the Author
Kim Fielding is very pleased every time someone calls her eclectic. A Lambda Award finalist and two-time Foreword INDIE finalist, she has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and currently lives in California, where she long ago ran out of bookshelf space. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full time. She also dreams of having two daughters who fully appreciate her, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.
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Kim can be found on her blog: http://kfieldingwrites.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KFieldingWrites
and Twitter: @KFieldingWrites
Her e-mail is kim@kfieldingwrites.com
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For a complete listing of Kim’s titles, visit her website: http://www.kfieldingwrites.com/kim-fieldings-books/
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All proceeds from the sale of this book go to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières.
The Bureau Of Trans-Species Affairs
For many years the United States government has been aware that Homo sapiens is not the only sentient species inhabiting the country. Some other species were native to the continent, while others immigrated along with humans. Early on, these nonhuman species (NHS) were largely ignored when they lived peacefully within human communities. At other times they were deemed a threat and local efforts were made to eradicate them. The federal government was not involved in these early efforts.
During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate armies recruited members of the NHS, with varying degrees of success.
By the early 20th century, some local law enforcement agencies expressed frustration with their inability to deal effectively with the special needs of NHS. Localized incidents of mass violence occurred in several locations, most notably the Omaha Zombie Epidemic of 1908, the Manchester (New Hampshire) Melusine Drownings of 1911, and the Eugene (Oregon) Sasquatch Riots of 1915.
In response to these incidents, as well as a heightened desire for increased federal control, President Wilson created a new federal agency in 1919 called the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs. The mission of this agency was to communicate with NHS, to control them, to investigate reported dangerous actions committed by them, and to bring them to justice or eliminate them when necessary. Since then, the Bureau has been quietly active throughout the United States. Its jurisdiction has expanded to include humans who engage in magical or paranormal activities.
Over the decades, a great many dramas have unfolded among the people who work for the Bureau. The Bureau stories are a collection of these tales. Each involves different protagonists and is set in a different era, yet all focus on the adventures and struggles of the Bureau's agents. These novellas can be read in any order.
***The Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs: Strength, Intelligence, Honor***
All proceeds from the sale of these stories are donated to Doctors Without Borders.
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Did you love The Bureau: Volume 2? Then you should read Farview by Kim Fielding!
***Winner of the 2021 BookLife Prize for Fiction***
Ravaged by a horrific experience, Oliver Webb flees the smog-bound city of Greynox for a quiet seaside village and the inheritance he's never seen: a cottage called Farview. He discovers clear skies, friendly imps, and a charming storyteller named Felix Corbyn.With help from Felix's tales, Oliver learns surprising secrets about his family history and discovers what home really means. But with Felix cursed, Oliver growing deathly ill, and an obligation in Greynox hanging heavy around his neck, it seems that not even wizards can save the day.Still, as Felix knows, stories are the best truths and the most powerful magic. Perhaps the right words might yet conjure a chance for happiness.
Read more at Kim Fielding’s site.
Also by Kim Fielding
The Bureau
Concluded
The Bureau
Corruption
Clay White
The Bureau: Volume 1
The Bureau: Volume 5
The Bureau: Volume 2
Camouflaged
The Bureau: Volume 3
Caught
Chambered
The Bureau: Volume Four
Consumed
Standalone
Treasure
Farview
Dreidels & Do-Overs
Summerfield's Angel
Transformation
The Tale of August Hayling
Joys R Us
The Dance
The Dog Days of December
A Very Genre Christmas
Regifted
Standby
Once upon a Dance
Gravemound
The Festivus Miracle
Dei Ex Machina
Farkas
The Solstice Kings
Crow's Fate
The Golem of Mala Lubovnya
The Sacrifice and Other Stories
Firestones
Refugees
Bite Me: An Elucidation in Three Acts
Bread Crumbs
Happily
The Border
The Pillar
Housekeeping
Speechless
Night Shift
Grown-Up
Phoenix
Violet's Present
Ash Believes the Impossible
Animated
Peppermint Bark
Cozy: Holiday Stories
Watch for more at Kim Fielding’s site.
About the Author
Kim Fielding is very pleased every time someone calls her eclectic. Winner of the BookLife Prize for Fiction, a Lambda Award finalist and three-time Foreword INDIE finalist, she has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and currently lives in California, where she long ago ran out of bookshelf space. She's a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full time. She also dreams of having two daughters who fully appreciate her, a husband who isn't obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.
Kim can be found on her website: http://kfieldingwrites.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KFieldingWrites
and Twitter: @KFieldingWrites
Her e-mail is kim@kfieldingwrites.com
Read more at Kim Fielding’s site.
Kim Fielding, The Bureau
